The subject disclosure is generally related to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to an electrical connector having wireless control capabilities for use in connection with an alternating current (AC) power system.
Systems for bringing low-voltage direct current (DC) power to low-voltage DC powered devices, such as light fixtures, sensors, or the like, are known in the art. By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,997,910, U.S. Pat. No. 8,062,042, U.S. Pat. No. 7,679,222, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,762,821 (which patents are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety) disclose various grid systems that support conductive materials that are electrically coupled to a low-voltage DC power source and which provide contact surfaces that are connectable to low-voltage DC powered devices. These patents also describe various types of connectors that provide a means for coupling a low-voltage DC powered device to the contact surfaces of the grid system.
In addition, systems and methods of providing an adaptor for bringing wireless communication to a wired sensor include the use of a sensor interface, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,275,471, U.S. Pat. No. 7,839,017, U.S. Pat. No. 7,925,384, US Patent Publication No. 2011/0043052, and US Patent Publication No. 2011/0043052. In at least one example, the referenced publications describe a system and method for enabling wireless communication with a wired sensor. In this example, power is continuously supplied to an electrical load device under control of a separate wireless controller. The wireless controller includes information stored and/or detected to directly control the electric load device.
Sill further, U.S. Pat. No. 6,990,394 describes a control system for allowing remote control of a load. In the described example, a light fixture includes a lamp controller which controls the operation of a lamp by selectively coupling the power source to the lamp. The lamp controller selectively operates the lamp in response to signals received from a remote controller and a light switch, as well as from a motion sensor and a photo sensor.
While the described connectors, systems and methods generally work for their intended purpose, the following describes an improvement to the known connectors for use in such similarly constructed systems.